On This Day: October 13th
2010: A brilliant day at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi saw three gold medals plundered by Paddy Barnes, Paddy Gallagher, and Eamonn O’Kane.
Belfast light flyweight Barnes defeated Scotland’s Iain Butcher (4:2), Australia’s Andrew Maloney (5:3), and Indian Amandeep Singh (5:0), before a win in the final over Namibian Japhet Uutoni (8:4). Belfast welter Gallagher beat Cameroonian Joseph Mulema (3:0), Bangladeshi Suruz Bangali (9:0), Namibian Mujandjae Kasuto (7:5), and Indian Dilbag Singh (5:4), en-route to a triumphant final with England’s Callum Smith (11:6). Derry middle O’Kane’s route to the final consisted of wins over Sri Lankan Ranil Tharanga Jayathilake (5:0), New Zealander Nathan McEwen (9:2), Samoan Hugo Fata (7:2), and Welshman Kieron Harding (12:6). In the final O’Kane defeated English star Anthony Ogogo (16:4).
1969: Belfast’s Des Rea was knocked out in the fourth round of his British light welterweight title rubber match with Vic Andreetti at the Ice Rink in Nottingham. Rea had outpointed Andreetti to win the inaugural title the previous year before losing it in a rematch the following February.
2012: Leeds-born fighter Lee Murtagh defended his prized Irish title, which he won in his fifth attempt, at the Ulster Hall. Murtagh had won the light middleweight belt during the Summer over Joe Hillerby and put it on the line against Ulsterman Willie Thompson, taking a close (96:95) points decision in Belfast.
1909: Local fighter Bob Brown knocked out Tralee’s Dan Grant in the fifth round of their fight for the vacant Irish heavyweight title at the Theatre Royal in Belfast.
2007: Jamsey Gorman outpointed (98:95) Gary Hamilton for the BBBoC Northern Irish light welterweight title in a Belfast derby at the Park Avenue Hotel.
